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Avodah Zarah 55a

עבודה זרה נ״ה ע״א

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Topic

Why idols seem to have power though they have none, and when grape juice handled by a נכרי becomes יין נסך

Overview

This amud finishes a ברייתא about why God does not destroy the objects people worship as עבודה זרה. Reading a פסוק in צפניה, it explains that if God destroyed everything that is worshipped, He would have to destroy people too. Next, אגריפס the general asks רבן גמליאל how God can be 'jealous' of idols that are nothing. רבן גמליאל answers with a parable: a wife is most jealous when she is replaced by a lesser rival. Then זונין asks רבי עקיבא why sick people seem to come back healed from idol temples. רבי עקיבא answers that sufferings are sworn to leave at a set time, and they keep their oath even when the person acts foolishly. רבי יוחנן's reading of 'evil and faithful sicknesses' supports this. When an idol seems to bring rain after a human sacrifice, רב יהודה explains, using רב's teaching and ריש לקיש's teaching, that God lets those who choose sin be misled. Finally, a new משנה teaches that grape juice becomes יין נסך only once it reaches the vat, and it begins a rule about treading grapes with a נכרי that continues on the next amud.

Opening lines

״אָסֹף אָסֵף כֹּל

"Shall I utterly consume all things

מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה נְאֻם ה׳,

from off the face of the earth, says the Lord?

אָסֵף אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה

Shall I consume man and beast?

אָסֵף עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּדְגֵי הַיָּם

Shall I consume the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea,

The steps (13)

  1. ProofQuoting the verse about consuming the stumbling blocks
  2. ProofIf God destroyed every worshipped thing, He would have to destroy people too
  3. Challengeאגריפס asks why God would be jealous of powerless idols
  4. Resolutionרבן גמליאל's parable of the two wives
  5. Challengeזונין asks why people seem to be healed at idol temples
  6. Resolutionרבי עקיבא's parable of the trustworthy man
  7. ResolutionSufferings keep their oath to leave on time
  8. Proofרבי יוחנן reads the פסוק about 'faithful' illnesses
  9. ChallengeAn idol that seems to bring rain after a human sacrifice
  10. ResolutionIdol 'success' is allowed in order to mislead
  11. Proofריש לקיש: the path you choose is opened for you
  12. StatementJuice is not יין נסך until it reaches the vat
  13. StatementTreading grapes together with a נכרי